Save Yourself, I'll Hold Them Back
by goddamned-twinkie
Summary: Scabior is caught between the woman he loves and his duty to the greater good.
1. Chapter 1

_Olivia-_

_Thank you for the tea. Know that I am looking forward to your visit, and that my home is always open._

_-Xenophilius_

The message was short, but it said many things. Xenophilius Lovegood hadn't received any tea from Olivia Hornswallow. At least not recently. The only thing she'd sent him was the location of Harry Potter, and the date of the Weasley boy's wedding. She wasn't planning on visiting, and he wasn't preparing for her to visit either. His home, though, _was_ always open, even if that wasn't what he was referring to.

Olivia tucked the letter inside her pocket and nodded once to the hooded figure in front of her. The figure turned and left without a single word. She waited until they were out of sight before turning and entering the tavern behind her.

The Leaky Cauldron wasn't as hopping as it used to be, but it was loud enough to feel comforting to Olivia. The bartender, a squib named Percival, made eye contact with her. She nodded once, and picked up a tray from a nearby table. She put on a smile and began clearing tables. A group of old wizards, who had been consuming plenty of drinks that night, were speaking loudly of matters that had been in the _Daily Prophet_ that morning. Olivia, being the clever and cunning witch she was, hung back to listen.

"Hear You-Know-Who's got some new recruits," said one with a beard. "Going around, calling themselves Snatchers."

"The _Daily Prophet_ said they're helping the Ministry," said one with a hat.

Another with a pipe stuck in his mouth mumbled, "Can't trust those frauds at the paper. I heard, same as Kingsley, they're in cahoots with the Dark Lord."

"Snatchers, you say?" asked a warty man. "What do these Snatchers do?"

"I heard they take witches and wizards in for questioning," said the one with the hat. "They're looking for information, I reckon."

"What sort of information are they looking for?" asked the bearded wizard.

"Who knows," said the one with the pipe. "What sort of information do Muggle-borns and runaways have to offer?"

Olivia looked up. Muggle-borns?

"They ain't just taking Muggle-borns," said the one with the hat. "Most don't show up again after the Snatchers get 'em."

"Yeah, and ain't it a coincidence that the Dark Lord is tryin' to clean up the wizard blood?" snorted the bearded one.

"You know what I think?" the warty one said. "I think they're telling them the Ministry wants to question them, when all along they-"

"Olivia," hissed Percival.

Olivia nearly dropped the plates she was holding, and she snapped out of the conversation.

"We're done for the night," Percival said. "No more customers after this lot leaves."

Olivia nodded and hurried off. All she knew was groups of new Death Eaters were taking Muggle-borns, and it wasn't much to base any sort of conclusion on. The only thought she could possibly think was that she would need to watch her back.

***

"Boss?"

Scabior looked up. Two young men shrouded in dark coats with the hoods drawn up were looking expectantly at him. Each of them held a struggling man against the wall. Scabior walked up to the first man, being held by a Snatcher named Pontius, and he leaned in close.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Dedrick Gamerson," said the man, his voice echoing against the stone walls.

A third Snatcher named Rasmussen, standing not too far away from Scabior, opened the little book in his hand. He flipped a few pages, but to the man's dismay, he shook head.

"No, please," cried Gamerson. "I'm half-blood! My mother was a witch, and my father died when I was very young-"

"Shut up," sighed Scabior, walking over to the second man.

The Snatcher, a werewolf named Fenrir Greyback, pressed the man further against the wall. The man cried out, but Greyback did not let up.

"Name," Scabior said.

"Shimon Francheski," the man muttered.

Scabior turned back to Rasmussen, who was searching in his little book. He shook his head again, and Scabior began pacing calmly in the alley.

"Take them to the Ministry," he said. "The pink one's gonna like these two."

Gamerson began shouting, but in less than a second, the gang had disappeared.


	2. Chapter 2

Percival handed her a small pouch full of gold. Olivia tucked it into her jacket and put her arms around Percival's shoulders.

"No matter what happens," Percival said, "blend. You find a group, and you stay with them for as long as possible. Do not draw attention to yourself, and do not give anyone any reason to look at you."

Olivia nodded and said, "Of course."

"Muggle-borns have been disappearing, and I don't need you going with them," Percival continued.

He handed her a piece of parchment, and she concealed it as well. Her wand was tucked neatly into her jacket as close to her body as possible. She waited until someone else was leaving, and she ducked behind them into Diagon Alley, following them out the door and at least a block.

She had no trouble getting to her destination. She meshed with groups that were going in the general direction she needed to go, and she hid amongst busied people. She wasted no time buying the supplies she'd been sent for, and she was out the door as soon as she could be.

She soon found herself alone, though. It was getting dark, and because of Death Eater attacks – and now the threat of Snatcher attacks – fewer people were going out after dark. She noticed a group of old witches walking toward the south, and she fell into step behind them. A chilly breeze blew through one street. Instinctively, Olivia put her hand on her wand. She glanced down the street and shivered.

When she turned back, the witches were gone, and her heart began racing. She heard voices coming from another street, and she panicked. Maybe if she stuck to the walls, she could stay out of sight. She flattened herself against the wall and began inching down the street. She spotted a few men walking quickly in the same direction, and she joined them, unnoticed.

"-can't believe they're here, in Diagon Alley of all places!" said one.

"If the Ministry's in on this, they'll soon hear from me," said another. "Children come here. They can't expect them to understand."

"Keep your voice down, will you?" hissed a third. "They're around here."

"You're the one speakin' out-"

"Oy!" came a harsh voice from down an unlit street. "Keep your voices down. Some people could be tryin' to sleep."

The voice stepped out of the darkness, a man with dark brown hair pulled messily into a braid. His dark eyes blinked once, and he smiled manically. Behind him, two men appeared, and behind them, a large wolf-like man. Olivia began gasping for breath, but her feet had her cemented in her spot.

"Now," said the first man, "let's not put up a fight, shall we? If you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to worry about."

Two of the men in Olivia's group took off running, and the man sighed.

"They never learn," he mumbled. He turned to the group behind him and said, "Take 'em back to the Ministry, whatever you do. Greyback, check this one."

The smaller men in his group sprinted off after the two escapees, but the wolf one, Greyback, approached the man in front of Olivia. The first man put his hand on Greyback's shoulder, and the wolfman halted.

"Who's this one?" he chuckled, spotting Olivia.

Her heart was beating out of her chest at this point, but she remembered what the man had told them – if she had nothing to hide, there was no reason to run. The man stepped around the other, and Olivia narrowed her eyes. In the moonlight, though, she recognized him.

"I know you..." she said quietly.

The man's expression softened and he said, "Fen, why don't you take this man and find the others? I'm going to have a little time with the Miss."

"Scabior, you always get the-"

The man pointed his wand at the wolf, and Greyback nodded. He took the other man by his collar and began dragging him away. The man, Scabior, turned back to Olivia.

"I know who you are," Olivia said. "I went to Hogwarts with you."

"Olivia Hornswallow," he said under his breath.

"I can't believe you remember my name," said Olivia.

"Of course I remember you," Scabior said. "I was in love with you."

"You?" snorted Olivia.

"I'd had a thing for you since fifth year," replied Scabior. "Why do you think we had all our classes together in seventh year? It was unheard of, though. You being a mudblood and me being pureblood."

"Don't call me that," said Olivia.

"Sorry," said Scabior. "Force of habit." He paused, shifting his weight, and he smiled. "You know, you haven't changed at all, really."

"I suppose I'll take that as a compliment," Olivia replied. "I'd say the same for you, but it'd be a lie. You've changed, and I'm not sure if it's for the better."

"Keeps me alive," Scabior said.

There was a noise from down the street, and they both turned their heads. Olivia took a slow shaky breath and took a step backwards.

"I really should be going," she said.

"I'm not supposed to let you go," Scabior said, taking her by the wrist. "When can I see you again?"

The noise turned into voices, and Olivia stepped as close to Scabior as possible.

"Out back of the Leaky Cauldron," she whispered. "Tomorrow."

He nodded once, and she was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Still shaken, Olivia reentered the Leaky Cauldron. She locked all three locks on the door and placed the standard protective enchantment over it, and she turned back to the empty bar. She waved her wand through the air.

"Homenum revelio," she hissed.

She waited a minute, but nothing happened. She breathed a sigh of relief. She lit a single lamp at the far end of the bar away from any windows, and she set the parcel down next to it. There was a creak, and a door opened. Percival peeked his head out, his wand sticking out in front of him.

"What is the drink I poured you when you applied here?" he said in a low voice.

"Oak-matured mead," replied Olivia.

Percival lowered his wand and nodded to her. He was still cautious when approaching her, but she handed him the package. He took it and began unwrapping it. Olivia set a glass on the counter, and she took up the decanter of sherry they kept under the bar. She poured out a glass and offered one to Percival.

"Thank you," he said, shaking his head. "Did you run into any trouble?"

"No," Olivia said simply.

"Someone stopped by and said there were Snatchers trolling through somewhere by Gringotts," explained Percival.

"Really?" said Olivia. "I- I didn't see them."

"Are you alright, Olivia?" asked Percival.

Olivia sat down and said, "Yes, I'm fine."

"You normally don't have alcohol this late at night," said Percival.

"I'm fine, Civ," said Olivia. "Really."

Percival set down the package and took Olivia by the shoulders.

"I took you in and promised to make sure you'd stay safe," he said. "If something happened, you should tell me."

"I know," Olivia sighed. "Nothing happened. I ran into an old friend, but nothing's wrong."

"I'm just worried because...well, y-you're a target, and-"

"I'm a Muggle-born," Olivia mumbled. "A threat. Dirty. A mudblood."

Percival's expression changed, and he said, "Don't say that, Olivia. You're a wonderful person. You can't help who your parents are-"

"Were," Olivia said. "And, you know, maybe it won't be so bad. Maybe if I'm caught, they'll go a little easy since technically I never knew who my father was. He left my mother before I was born. He could very easily be a wizard."

"Do you really believe that?" Percival said.

"I'm trying, Civ," Olivia sighed.

"Look, I'm sure you've got nothing to worry about. Why don't you put down the sherry and go on up to bed. I'll finish the lockup."

Olivia smiled and said, "Thanks."

She finished the bit of sherry she had left in her glass, and she set it down on the bar. She put one arm around Percival's shoulders and gave him a gentle squeeze. He nodded once to her, and she turned to leave.

Once upstairs, Olivia dug around in her dresser; the photos had to be there somewhere. Her clothes began to fall around her feet on the floor, the drawers getting lighter and lighter as her search seemed to fall short of enlightening. Then, just before she was about to give up, her hand settled on a small book. She coiled her fingers around the spine and pulled it from the drawer.

It was a black book with gold writing embossed on the cover with the words Hogwarts MCMLXXXVI. She took the book and sat down on the bed, opening to the first page. She flipped a couple pages and saw the group of young adults standing around a boiling cauldron, all smiling. Some were wearing the snake crest of Slytherin, others were pinned with the crow of Ravenclaw or the lion of Gryffindor or the badger of Hufflepuff. Simultaneously, they all looked up at her and waved.

She recognized some of them- her old friend Jennifer Oglesby, the Gryffindor that helped her with her Transfiguration homework, even the few Slytherin girls she used to have run-ins with. She looked, finding herself standing beside Jennifer and in front of a couple mischievous Slytherins. One yanked on Jennifer's hair, but another stood directly behind Olivia, smiling softly at the back of her head.

"Benicio Scabior..." she said quietly, touching the photo.

The man grinned and fashioned a flower out of his wand, his mouth not moving once. He held it out to her, but the young man next to her grinned. He mouthed, "Incendio!" and the tiny flower burst into flame.

Olivia looked up, sighing dramatically. Perhaps she should have noticed the little things, but she didn't. She was a teenage girl being raised by the owner of a popular bar. She was busy with schoolwork. She was learning to take care of the Leaky Cauldron. She didn't have time to focus on Slytherin boys, of all people.

Why would she have time to focus on him now, either? Especially if his job was to capture her and take her to the Ministry, for God knows what sort of punishment. She didn't have time for that sort of thing.

So why had she made time for it?


End file.
